Make Me a Maiden

Katherine (Spoken):

I walked into church that morning, saying nothing, I needed to find my children. But the damn church kept pulling me back. I hated the church for that, I hated God for that, I hated the entire congregation for that. I needed to find my children, tell them I’m fine. Good God I hope they know. I hope they’re fine. They say children can sense things, so maybe they’re sending me looking for them. I lit a candle for my two daughters, and sat in silence. Then this music started playing. I sang along in my head, but I wasn’t saying the right words.

(Sung):

Make me a maiden thou shall bridge,

From the smile of your soul unto mine

And if our smiles may intertwine,

Make me a maiden of your peace

Hold me close, as tears may stream,

And with a shaky hand I’ll pray

Unto you I give a seed,

A seed of brighter yesterdays

And if on me you were to fall,

Please know I’d always hold you up

This is a message from your mum,

Please… Baby… Are my words enough?

(Spoken):

I felt so helpless in that moment, I needed my children. Then I felt eyes digging into my back. I turned around to see the service had stopped, they were silent. I thought I had broken some law or something. A lady then approached, I’d seen her before. She was sat in front of me on the plane. She told me her name was Sandra, and she was Jewish. She started reciting my prayer in Hebrew.

Sandra (Sung):

Taasi lei alma, et tagshri 

Katherine (Sung):

Make me a maiden thou shall bridge

Sandra (Sung):

Mechivch nishmatch el hiyuchi 

Katherine (Sung):

From the smile of your soul unto mine

Sandra (Sung):

Ve’em hachiochim shlanv yecholim lehishtalev 

Katherine (Sung):

And if our smiles may intertwine

Sandra (Sung):

Hafoch uti lena’aret shlomech 

Katherine (Sung):

Make me a maiden of your peace

And he who made me, take me home,

Unto you I save my soul

Hafoch uti lena’aret shlomech,

Make me a maiden of your peace

Sandra (Sung):

Show me good where there’s no hope

Katherine (Sung):

Hir’a lei or bemekum sh’in bo shmash 

Sandra (Sung):

Make me a maiden of your peace

Katherine (Sung):

Hafoch uti lena’aret shlomech